A 30-minute summertime meal

One of my favorite summer meals starts with a Quinoa Avocado Salad. Not only does it taste heavenly, it's a nutritional winner as John Bagnulo, nutritionist at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Mass., points out below.

Kabobs are always a summer favorite, too. Marinating the tofu and vegetables overnight infuses them with flavor. You can also substitute chicken or fresh tuna for tofu when serving a crowd of vegetarians and nonvegetarians. That versatility is one of the reasons I so often go with this menu when friends come over — not to mention the fact that they ask for it!

Soup in the summer you may ask? To me, the Coconut Yam Soup really brings this meal

together. In the summer, I make it very thin and use lots of cilantro to keep it light. It's also great cold. And though I usually include a dessert when I entertain, I find the amount of dessert I consume with this meal is minor due to the sweet richness of the coconut yam soup.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Buon Appetito,

Deb Howard, Executive Chef

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, Mass.

Quinoa Avocado Salad

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 25 minutes plus cooling time

1 cup quinoa

1 3/4 cups water plus 2 tbsp.

1/2 red pepper, diced

2 scallions

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup olive

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oil

3 tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. sea salt

1 fresh ripe avocado

Fresh baby spinach or field greens

Optional add-ins: organic raw cheddar cheese, cooked black beans, roasted asparagus

Rinse quinoa well and drain. Place in a saucepan and cover with 1 3/4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and keep covered for another 10 minutes until all water is absorbed. Remove and fluff with fork onto a tray to cool. When quinoa is cool, add peppers and scallions and toasted pumpkin seeds. Combine olive oil, 2 tbsp. water, lime juice and salt. Toss with quinoa. Garnish with fresh sliced avocado and any of the other extras.

John Bagnulo on nutritional value:

This spring salad is phenomenal for building stronger bones, especially if you use some arugula or black beans.

Avocados are a definite super food. Once maligned for its fat content, this fruit is great at helping reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. Research has shown that simply adding one avocado to an individual's diet each day had a dramatic effect on blood lipids, without causing weight gain. The fat in an avocado contains a group of phytosterols that reduce cholesterol production and the risk for cancer.

Quinoa is a good source of both calcium and magnesium, and offers the majority of the essential amino acids, making it close to a complete protein. Both of these characteristics are rare among grains.

Lastly, pumpkin seeds are the best plant-based source of zinc. Zinc is important for immune function and hormone production. Pumpkin seeds are good sources of other important minerals and trace minerals, as well.

Grilled Tofu Kabobs

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes plus overnight marinade

1 lb. firm tofu, cut in cubes

1 cup water

2 tbsp. tamari soy sauce

2 tbsp. white cooking wine

1 tbsp. brown rice vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

An assortment of your favorite grilling vegetables (zucchini, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers of all colors)

Rinse tofu and cut into cubes. Cut vegetables into appropriate shapes (thick slices for summer squash and zucchini, slices or squares for peppers, large mushrooms cut in half, cherry tomatoes are left whole), combine all wet ingredients, cover tofu and vegetables and marinate overnight. Next day, drain marinade. Soak wood skewers in water for 10 minutes and then have fun assembling. Place on a well-seasoned hot grill, turning as needed until veggies are at the desired softness and tofu is browned.

John Bagnulo on nutritional value:

Tofu is a good source of both calcium and magnesium and can play a significant role in one's effort to build stronger bones. It is simply soybean curd that has been allowed to congeal with the help of magnesium. Additionally, the replacement of meat with tofu has been shown to reduce a person's risk of developing heart disease and cancer.

Coconut Yam Soup

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 30 minutes

2 large yams

Water to cover, plus 2 inches

1 onion

1 tbsp. salt

1 cup light coconut milk

1 tbsp. lime juice

Pinch cayenne pepper

Cilantro to taste

Peel yams and cut into large chunks. Dice onions into large pieces. Place onions and yams in a soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer. Add salt and continue to cook until yams are soft. Add coconut milk, lime and a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like. Use an immersion blender or conventional blender and blend until smooth. Add cilantro and adjust flavors if needed, garnish with chopped peanuts, pistachios or cashews.

John Bagnulo on nutritional value:

Coconuts are high in saturated fat, but it is different from the saturated fats found in meat and animal fat. The saturated fat stearic acid found in certain nuts and in coconuts does not promote heart disease.

Deb Howard has 20 years of experience in the world of natural foods. Howard is presently the executive chef at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Mass. Howard started her first natural foods cafe when she was only 21 years old. She also has taught cooking classes and opened her second restaurant, The Love Dog Cafe — an organic restaurant and tea shop that was located in Lenox, Mass. Her approach to food and cooking is grounded in a deep belief that love is the main ingredient in a healthful diet.